Flue-stopper.



PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

IN VENTORS mad G T BACON & W AAB PLUE STOPP'ER.

APPLICATION rum: APR. 26 1904 open positions.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

GEORGE T. BACON,

FLUE-STOPPER;

Specification of Letters Patent.

\ Patented. March 27, 1906.

Application filed April 26, 1904. Serial No. 205,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE TRAoYBA- ooN, a resident of the city of Grinnell, in the county of Poweshiek and State of Iowa, and

WILLIAM AAB, a resident of the city of Se-;

embrace the pipe, and require but littlespace.

The above-mentioned and other desirable objects are attained by the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as disclosed on the accompanying drawings, set forth in this specification and succinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings filed herewith and bearing like reference characters for corresponding parts throughout, Figure 1 is a front view of the invention, showing by bold lines the parts in relative position when.

the stopper is closed and by broken lines the relative positions of the stopper parts when they are adjusted outwardly to clear the pipe-opening. Fig. 2 is a diametrical section ta en on line 2 of Fig. 1 and shows a pipecollar arran ed to conceal the sections-and lip-pieces of the stopper when they liein Fig. 3 is a face view of one the lip-pieces removed. Fig. 4 is a face view of one of the sections removed, and Fig. 5 is an ed e view of a section and lip-piece separated om each other and shows the upper portion of the former in section and the swing-arm for operating and supporting said parts connected with said lip.

This invention includes a suitable base conveniently consisting of a circular disk 6, having a centrally-located opening of suitable size to receive the Stovepipe, and a thimble 7, secured to said disk about the ipeopening and fitting snugly in the flue", w erethe device is conveniently supported in place at the mouth of the flue.

The stopper pro er is arranged at the face of the base relative y to the pipe-opening and comprises opposite slidable sections, as 8, having the inner or adjacent edges concaved, and lip-pieces, as 9, adapted to cover the opening between said concaved edges and slidable, so that they can be shifted clear of said concaved edges when the sections are adjusted outwardly. The sections 8 are composed of sheet or plate metal, and each section consists of an elongated piece greater in length than the diameter of the pipe-opening and comprising an outwardly-curving main portion slightly greater in width than one quarter of said diameter.

lar end portions, having their inner edges in line with a cord falling between the ends of the inner edge of the main portion, and each rectangular end portion has its outer corner cut away. The inner and outer edges of said main. portion are curved on radii substantially equal to the radius of the pipe-opening, and the said inner edge extends substantially one-third of a complete circle. Adjacent the extremities of the section are opposite arallel grooves or channels 10, which slidab ly receive the end portions of a lip-piece 9. These grooves or channels 10 are conveniently ormed by bending suitable end extensions of the section forwardly and then inwardly over the outer face thereof, and at the inner ends of these grooves or channels stop-lugs, as 10 are conveniently provided to limit the inward movement of the lip-piece on the section by bending suitable extensions of the section forwardly, and at the outer edge of the section similar lugs 11 are likewise provided adjacent the ends to limit the outward movement of the lip-piece on the section. The lip-pieces- 9 are composed of sheet or plate metal, and each consists of an elongated piece fitting at the ends in the grooves of channels 10 of a slidable section and formed with the inner side edge straight and the outer side edge convex along the main portion, so as to overlap the concaved edge of said section when the stopper is adjusted to I close the pipe-opening. The end portions of This main portion extends into substantiallyrectanguthe lip-piece are formed of suitable width that when the outer side edges thereofcontact lugs 11 the inner side edge of the lip will lie clear of the concaved edge of the section, and in the inner edges of these portions notches 12 are cut to receive the stop-lugs so that when the stopper is adjusted to close the pipe-opening the lip-pieces will meet along their inner edges.

Mounted adjacent each other on disk 6 of the base are swing-arms 14, serving to movably support. the lip-pieces and slidable sections, and each arm conveniently consists of a narrow strip of iron conveniently swingingly mounted by means of a forwardly-projecting pivot-pin 15, secured to the disk adjacent the outer edge and engaged with said arm adjacent one end, so that the long end of the arm will extend inwardly approximately to the center of the pipeopening and the short end extend outwardly as a finger-piece for moving the arm to open the stopper, The long ends of these arms are offset outwardly adjacent the pivots 15 to conveniently clear them of the outer faces of the lip-pieces, and they are connected at the inner ends with said lip pieces, substantially midway the length and width thereof, by suitable pivots, as 16, which permit the lips and sections to swing on the arms. The short ends of the arms are suitably bent so as not to interfere with each other in opening the stopper, and are also offset outwardly, so as to lie clear of the face of the wall about the flue for ready grasp of the fingers.

Connected with swing-arms 14 is a spring, as 17, which is adapted to yieldingly hold the sections and lip-pieces in closed positions and said parts from an open to a closed position,

' and thereby insure the closing of the stopper when the stove-pipe is removed. This spring conveniently consists of a cylindrical coil of resilient wire, which is seated about a pin, as 18, secured to the disk 6 between the rivets 15, and the end portions of the spring extend. laterally from the coil and are crossed over each other and slidably engaged at the free extremities with outwardly-bent hooks, as 14, secured to the long end portions of the swing-arms. The spring thus serves to yieldingly press said portions of the arms toward each other, while permitting them to be moved apart to carry the sections and lip-pieces clear of the pipe-opening when it is desired to open the stopper. This spring, furthermore, serves to press the swing-arms toward the base, so as to conveniently hold the lip-pieces against the sections and the sections against the face of disk 6, and thereby effect a more perfect closure, and the end portions of the spring are sufficiently bent toward the base to accomplish this purpose, and a washer is placed beneath the head of in 18 to hold the spring in place against t 1e pressure thus exerted.

Secured to the disk 6 at diametrically opposite points are forwardly-projecting stoppins 19, which are arranged adjacent the periphery and serve as convenient means to limit the inward movement of the lip-pieces and sections and cause them to stop in proper positions relatively to said opening when closing, and suitable notches are provided in the inner edges of the lip-pieces and sections to receive said pins, so that the lip-pieces will abut each other along their inner edges and the sections meet each other at the ends of their inner edges when in closed positions.

On each main section 8 adjacent its lower end are forwardly-projecting stop-lugs 20, which are disposed at opposlte sides of the swing-arms to conveniently limit the swinging movement of the section about the pivotal connection of said arm with the respective lip-piece as the arm swings in opening and closing the stopper. These lugs are arranged at suitable distance apart to permit the arm to shift the lip-piece across the face of the section, and the inner one thereof is suitably disposed to bear against the arm when the lip-piece and section lie in open position with their inner edges clear of the pipeopening, while a forwardly-projeeting sto pin 21 is arranged on the disk 6 within t 10 sweep of the upper end of the section at a fsuitable point to limit the outward movement of the section at this end. Thus as the arms 14 swing outwardly the upper ends of the sections will contact with pins 21, the lipflpieces will be moved outwardly on the sec- .tlons, and the inner stop-lugs will strike also serves as convement means for moving against the inner edges of the arms, while the 1 outer lugs 20 will prevent the sections from swinging too far inwardly at the lower ends during the outward movement of the arms.

Arranged over the face of the base is pipecollar 24, which is formed with a peripherial flange 24 of suitable diameter to receive disk 6, to which it is secured, and of suitable width to carry the face of the collar clear of the operative parts of the stopper, and slots are provided in this flange at suitable points to receive the projecting ends of the swing-arms. This collar acts simply as a shield to hide the lip-pieces and sections when they are in open positions and may be used or not, as desired.

When it is desired to place the Stovepipe, the stopper is conveniently opened by grasping the short ends of the swing-arms and forcing them toward each other. The pipe is then inserted in the pipe-opening and the arms released, when the spring 17 serves to force the swing-arms inwardly, and thereby bring the lip-pieces against the pipe, and the arms bear against the inner stop-lugs 20, and thereby force the sections also against the pipe. Consequently if the pipe be of smaller diameter than the opening it will be supported in place. When it is desired to remove the pipe, it is simply withdrawn from the pipe-opening, and the spring 17 then acts to close the stopper, thus insuring the stopping of the flue upon the removal of the 11.

slidable sections and opposite lip-pieces slidable upon the sections the width of the space required at the side of thepipe-opening to receive the stopper when-1n open-position is materially reduced, and by mounting these sections and lip-pieces on swing-arms they Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America,

. 1s- 1. The combination with a base having a pipe-opening, of a stopper for said opening compris ng opposite sections slidable on said base, said sections having their contiguous edges cut away to form an opening to receive a pipe and being formed at their upper and lower portions with grooves, lip-pieces slidable on said sections, said lip-pieces being adapted to close the opening formed in the contiguous edges of said sections and having opposite portions arranged in the grooves of said sections, operating-levers pivoted to the base and to said lip-pieces, and stops secured to said sections on opposite sides of the lippieces and being adapted to be engagedbythe lip-pieces as said lip-pieces are swung,

substantially as and for the purpose specified. 2. In combination with a base having a pipeopening, a stopper for closing said pipeopemng, sa1d stopper comprising opposite sections movable over the said pipe-opening and having their contiguous edges cutaway and opposite lip-pieces slidably mounted on said sections and being movable over the cutaway portions in the inner edges of said sections, means for moving the lip-pieces, and means secured to the sections and being engaged by the lip-pieces during their movement by which the sections are moved over or away from the said pipe-opening,

3. In combination with a base having a pipe-opening a stopper for closing said opening comprising opposite sections movable 'thereover, said sections having their inner edges concaved for a portion of their length, lip-pieces slidable on said sections and being P By forming the stopper proper of-opposite adapted to-extend over the concaved portions of'the inner edges of said sections, means for moving said lip-pieces, and means by which the lip-pieces during their move ment move said sections over said pipe-open ing or retract the same. r v

4. In combination with a base having a pipe-opening, a stopper for closing said pipeopening comprising opposite slidable sections movable over said pipe-opening and having their contiguous portions cut out, and

lip-pieces slidably mounted on said sections and being movable over the cut-out portions of said sections, and a means for sliding the lip-pieces, said lip-pieces when moving operating said sections.

5. In combination with a base formed with a pipeopening, opposite sections having their contiguous portions cut out and movable over said pipe-opening for partly closing the same, lip-pieces slidable on said sections and movable over the cut-out portionsthereof for completely closing the pipe-opening, 1

yieldingly-pressed means for moving said lippieces, and means coacting with saidlip- 1 pieces for effecting the movement of said sections.

6. In combination with a base formed with a pipe-opening, opposite sections slidable on the base so as to be moved over the pipeopening or clear of the same, lip-pieces slidable on said sections, and yieldingly-pressed means adapted to force said lip-pieces into engagement with a pipe when inserted into the pipe-opening ofsaid base.

7. In combination with a base rormed with a i e-o enin a sto er com rising oppositb slidsible s ections nd opp dsite slidable lip-pieces slidable on said sections, said sections and lip-pieces being adapted to completely close the said pipe-opening, yieldingly-pressed means for moving the lip-pieces from over thepipe-opening, and means by which the sections are operated by and during movement of the lip-pieces.

8. In combination with a base formed with a pipe-opening, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their ends to the base, a stopper for said pipe-opening comprising lip-pieces pivoted on the inner ends of said levers, and 0pcomprising opposite sections having their.

contiguous edges out out, and lip-pieces movable over the cut-out portions of said sec tions, said lip-pieces being pivotallyconnect- 4 ed to said levers, and means by which said sections are moved by said lip-pieces, said Signed at Ruston, Louisiana, this 16th day of April, 1904.

GEO. T. BACON. Witnesses:

Mrs. C. G. HoDGDoN, J. W. OLSON.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 30th day of March, 1904.

WILLIAM AAB.

Witnesses:

ERNEST B. HERoLD, V 4 RICHARD SAIX JoNEs. 

